Forty Four.4

Mothers. Artists. A collective with a point to prove. Forty Four.4 is a group of mother artists who came together with one shared belief: motherhood and ambition don’t cancel each other out. Named after the $44.4 million price tag on a Georgia O’Keeffe painting, the collective flips the narrative. O’Keeffe famously chose not to have kids. These women did, and they’re still making powerful, unapologetic work.

When they reached out, the group was trying to find how they fit in the artistic sphere. They needed something that reflected both their individuality and their strength as a collective. Something that felt refined, bold, recognizably theirs, and flexible enough to grow with them.

The Challenge

This wasn’t a one-size-fits-all project. Each artist had their own style, medium, and tone of voice. Some worked in metal. Others in photography or mixed media. They wanted to be able to show up together without losing their own creative identities.

They also didn’t want to be seen as a group of moms doing crafts. They wanted to be taken seriously as professional artists.

The brand system needed to hold a wide range of expression, work across print and digital, and scale as the group added new members. It had to feel professional without losing its personality.

A Brand with Flex

We started with strategy. What connects this group isn’t just motherhood. It’s drive, clarity, and the refusal to be boxed in. That insight shaped everything.

Colour became the core logic. Each artist was assigned a distinct colour, which they can use to represent themselves individually or combine to show who is involved in any given exhibition, workshop, or collaboration. The colour system allows the brand to flex, highlighting one voice or several, while staying unmistakably theirs.

The logo builds on this structure. A confident wordmark where the dot in “Forty Four.4” changes depending on who is participating. When the full collective is involved, a row of coloured dots represents the group. The design is minimal but intentional, with a typographic palette that shifts in tone from soft to bold depending on context. Layouts are structured and editorial, with enough variation to reflect the range of artistic expression behind them.

From social posts to gallery signage, every template was designed for real-world use. The identity is practical, scalable, and ready to evolve.

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Results That Stuck

Since launching the identity, the collective has booked more exhibitions, landed new collaborations, and expanded their presence in the local art scene. They have welcomed new members while keeping the brand intact. Individual artists have shared that they feel more confident presenting their work.

At their recent City Hall Art Gallery exhibition, I designed bilingual flyers that folded into posters, along with a set of lawn signs that formed a tiled mural inside the space. The brand did not just support the show. It became part of the installation. The City Hall team used the style guide to produce the exhibition book and decals, carrying the system forward without needing direct oversight.

Forty Four.4 is no longer just a group of artists who happen to be mothers. They are a recognized force in the art world. And they’re just getting started.

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